Home
by tvgirlSVM
Summary: Rather than deal with the takeover of Nevada and Eric's desire to talk about the memories he's just retrieved, Sookie Stackhouse does what she does best. She runs. Entry for "I Write the Songs" contest. Canon through FDTTW.


**I WRITE THE SONGS CONTEST ENTRY**

**SONG TITLE:** Home by Michael Bublé

**CHARACTERS:** Eric & Sookie (minor appearances from a few others)

**DISCLAIMER:** Not mine.

**PEN NAME:** tvgirlSVM

**BETAS:** MissusT & seastarr08

**VIRGIN WRITER:** Nope

**TEASER:** Canon through FDTTW. Rather than deal with the takeover of Nevada and Eric's desire to talk about the memories he's just retrieved, Sookie Stackhouse does what she does best. She runs. Entry for "I Write the Songs" contest.

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HOME

Eric's long fingers ghosted over Sookie's bare body, across her collarbone, down the valley between her breasts, circling her bellybutton, traveling lower still. His eyes followed the path of his fingers, as if he was trying to decide where to bite first, which he indeed was.

Lying on her back, Sookie shuddered in delight and looked up at Eric, who was leaning on the elbow of his other arm.

She whispered, "Baby, look at me."

Eric, having finally come to a strategic decision, was just about to lower his head to her pert nipple.

"What is it, lover?" he shifted his gaze to her bright blue eyes and asked quietly, as if he didn't want to disturb the intimate moment.

Sookie reached up behind Eric's neck and tangled her fingers into his hair, pulling his face towards hers.

"Kiss me. I need you. I've missed you," she declared.

"And I you, min älskare," he replied just before capturing her lips with his in a searing kiss.

Sookie finally pulled away for a moment to breathe and panted, "I'm so sorry. I'm sorry I left. I'm sorry I ran from you."

"Let's not speak of this now," Eric responded by putting a finger over her lips to shush her. "There's plenty of time for apologizing and forgiving later," he continued, arching his eyebrow and giving Sookie that trademark smirk she had missed so much.

Eric nuzzled his nose into Sookie's neck, taking in her scent. He emitted a quiet growl, a low rumble in his chest. He kissed from just below her earlobe down to where her neck met her shoulder. He licked the sweet spot and sunk his fangs in, moaning as her delicious blood reached his tongue and slid down his throat. She groaned in pleasure at the feel of his bite.

Sookie jolted upright in her bed, a mess of sweaty limbs and tangled bed linens, her heart pounding like she had run a marathon. She took in her surroundings. So often now when she woke up she had to really think about where she was. It changed so often these days.

She spied the alarm clock on the nightstand, which she recognized as her own. Three o'clock p.m. She was not in a hotel room. She was in her bedroom in Dallas. Alone.

And she would be leaving for New Orleans shortly.

* * *

When Eric got back his memories that night of the Nevada takeover, Sookie had felt overcome with varying emotions which had resulted in an oh-so-eloquent "Oh, hell," before locking herself in her bathroom. The night she had to rescue Eric and de Castro she was overwhelmed. The anxiety attack that caused her to go back for Eric scared the tar out of Sookie. Plus, the idea that Eric now had very little control over his area and her well-being was downright frightening.

On top of that, Eric wanted to "come to an understanding." Well, no thank you, no siree Bob.

It took Sookie a few weeks to come up with a plan and contact the necessary people, as well as to let Amelia work things out to move back to New Orleans. Sookie felt awful about leaving her newly found telepathic nephew, but she told herself that her leaving Louisiana would really benefit Hunter in the long run. She knew he could use her guidance in dealing with people's voices in his head, but it was better that no one find out they were related or learn of his condition. She could still visit, Sookie told herself repeatedly, and she would help him then. Texas was just next door, after all.

* ^ O ^ *

On Christmas Eve Niall arrived at the Stackhouse home in Bon Temps with a male fairy in tow. Niall, aware that Sookie had not been in touch with her bonded in over a month, as he had been keeping tabs on the Northman, had decided to bestow a Christmas gift on his lonely great-granddaughter, one Preston Pardloe.

However, he arrived to find Sookie's home devoid of light or any signs of life.

After telling Preston that his services were no longer necessary, Niall used his magic to unlock the door and he entered Sookie's house. It hadn't been left too recently, but it had definitely been vacated. Canvassing the living room and kitchen Niall saw that the old furniture had been covered in plain white sheets, the refrigerator emptied, the appliances unplugged, and the heater tuned off. He investigated further into the house.

Upstairs, the rooms he knew were used by Sookie's witch roommate were practically bare. All that remained were a few pieces of furniture, also covered in sheets. Returning downstairs, Niall entered Sookie's bedroom. Her furniture remained, also covered, but the closet and bathroom were emptied of all personal effects. Just what had his great-granddaughter done? Apparently he had not been monitoring her closely enough.

Over Sookie's dresser, taped to her mirror, was a note with Eric's name imprinted upon it. Yes, she had definitely _not_ been in touch with her bonded.

Niall exited the old homestead, failing to lock up behind himself. He took out his cell phone and dialed the Northman's personal number.

"I am here," answered Eric.

"Viking, have you been in touch with my great-granddaughter of late?"

"Fairy, you know full well I have been up to my ears in Nevada vampires. Why do you ask?" Eric growled. _The nerve of this fairy, questioning me about _my_ bonded_, thought Eric.

Niall, not wanting to give away too much, merely countered, "I thought you might be in touch for the human holidays. It _is_ Christmas Eve."

"I am aware," answered Eric. "I had planned to surprise Sookie with a visit next week, once the Nevada retinue returned to the desert and left me in peace. They are nearly done here." _Plus_, thought Eric, _next week will be our anniversary of sorts. But surely the fairy would ruin that surprise now._

"Yes," replied Niall, "there will be a surprise, indeed." And with that, Niall ended the call.

Eric knew he would feel it if Sookie was in distress these past weeks, even over the distance between Bon Temps and Shreveport. But all he ever felt was a great conflict within her, which he assumed was because he wanted to talk about his recovered memories and what that meant for them. However in the last few days, Eric had not even felt her conflict any longer. He had originally taken that as a good sign that she would be amenable to a discussion but, now that he thought on it, he hadn't felt much of anything at all through their bond beyond the gentle hum of Sookie's life force.

The news from the fairy and the recognition that he felt nothing through the bond aside, Eric was unable to see Sookie until the Nevada crew took leave, not wanting to draw any more unnecessary attention to her alone or to their bond. On New Year's Eve, a week after speaking with Niall, Eric finally went to Sookie's house only to find her gone. The realization that the lack of emotions bouncing through the bond had to do with her distance, rather than her acceptance, hit Eric like a Mack truck with a silver-plated grill.

Much to his chagrin, Eric crossed the cemetery to Bill's dilapidated house to see if he knew anything of Sookie's whereabouts. However, Bill had just returned from a database-related trip to Russia and, while he had noted that Sookie wasn't home, having, of course, stalked her house immediately upon his arrival back in Bon Temps, he had just assumed she was working at Merlotte's.

Both vampires, now worried about what may have happened to Sookie, ventured back to her home together.

"Do you think de Castro took her?" Bill asked as they stood in front of her empty house.

"Possible," Eric answered, "but unlikely. De Castro has too much going on with the takeover itself to move so quickly and take Sookie just yet. Though, I have no doubt he will want her in Las Vegas by his side, eventually."

They entered the house, almost surprised that their invitations had not been rescinded. _Of course_, Eric thought, _if she was gone there would be no reason to rescind invitations_. He sent Bill to investigate the rest of the house while he went to her bedroom.

Spying the note on her mirror, he immediately dismissed Bill and returned to Fangtasia.

"What are you doing back so soon? Did the telepath turn you down so quickly?" Pam asked with a chuckle.

The look on Eric's face, as well as the turmoil she felt in him through their own bond, told Pam to refrain from any more snarky comments. Eric ignored her and went to his office, closing the door so he could read the note in private.

_Eric,_

_Despite his "generous" offer of protection, I don't trust de Castro or that smarmy Victor Madden. I've realized there's no way of escaping the supernatural world and its politics, and I'd rather be able to set my own rules, so to speak, since I'm obviously now entrenched in your world. I've moved to Texas to work for Stan Davis. With Stan being a former telepath himself and my knowing how much freedom he has allowed Barry, I feel this is my best course of action. I was able to work out a very fair contract for my telepathic services. _

_Please don't ask me to return. I fear Louisiana is no longer safe for me. I hope you understand._

_Sookie_

Eric reread the note several times, his anger increasing. _How dare she do this without even consulting me first?_ _I would have come up with a plan._ We_ could have figured something out together_.

A drop of blood landed on the partially crumpled page in his hand and he realized he was crying. This just angered him more. Feeling Eric's anguish, Pam cautiously entered his office to find he had overturned his desk, crushing his computer in the process.

* ^ O ^ *

Amelia was celebrating New Year's Eve by helping Sookie unpack in her new apartment in Dallas. She couldn't believe Sookie had actually made the move and signed a contract for her telepathic skills with the King of Texas. While Amelia admired Sookie's courage to make such a big change, she couldn't help but wonder if it wasn't _really_ all about "protecting" herself.

"So what did Eric have to say about all of this?" Amelia asked without looking up from the box she was rummaging through.

"Well, nothing to me, though I'm sure he'll have a few choice words to say in that ancient language of his once he reads the note I left him."

"You didn't talk to him about it? Sookie, I assumed you and Eric came up with this Texas idea together," Amelia said in mock surprise. She knew her best friend well, and had assumed, correctly so, that she hadn't consulted the Viking about a thing.

"It's not his life, Amelia, it's mine. I don't have to consult Eric on every little thing I do," Sookie returned with a pound of indignance and an ounce of guilt. Or possibly a pound of guilt and an ounce of indignance, thought Amelia.

"I'm really excited about my first trip," Sookie quickly changed the subject. "Florida! Sandy beaches, the Atlantic Ocean. Disney World! Isabel said I could pretty much do whatever I want during the day, as long as I have my Were guard with me."

"Sounds like a blast," Amelia said with very little enthusiasm.

Sookie ignored Amelia's indifferent response and continued. "Barry's staying behind, of course. Now that Stan employs the world's only two known telepaths, he's happy to have the luxury to always keep one of us at home with him while he sends the other out on assignments."

"Well, you've sure come a long way from not wanting to be used by the vampires," Amelia snorted.

"Hey! I'm in control here! I approved my contract with Stan. I even had Mr. Cataliades go over it with me. We got Stan to agree to a trial period of a year, after which I could decide to terminate my services and go elsewhere."

Amelia harumphed and opened another box.

Sookie added quietly, "It's better than being beholden to Louisiana because of my bond to Eric."

Just saying his name out loud herself brought up a tidal wave of longing within her. She pushed it away into a corner of her heart and muttered softly, "Stupid blood bond. He's not _my_ Eric, anyway."

* ^ O ^ *

A few nights into the New Year, after Eric had finally gotten his emotions under control concerning Sookie's abrupt departure, he realized he would need to tell de Castro what had occurred. Under the guise of needing more information for his King, he phoned Texas for Stan's account of Sookie's sudden change of address.

"Eric, she is, after all, still a human. Humans can change residence of their own free will every day without notifying the vampire king of their state. In fact, most humans don't even know vampire kings exist," Stan explained to Eric on the phone.

"So she came to you?" Eric pressed.

"You do realize I do not have to answer your questions at all?" Stan reminded Eric. "But, you were of great service to me when Farrell was missing, and you are Sookie's bonded, so I will explain. Once. I assume you will be reporting back to Felipe?"

"Yes, of course. That is the only reason why I am calling," Eric answered, rather quickly.

"Right," Stan answered, reading that as false. "Well then, Sookie came to me, through the demon lawyer Cataliades, offering her services for a price. She bargained for quite a contract, Eric. You trained her well."

Eric was silent as he mulled that over.

Stan continued, "I understand you're bonded to her Northman, but you are not pledged. She was perfectly within her rights to leave Louisiana. I did not poach."

Stan purposely left out the fact that Sookie's contract was only a trial of sorts for the first year. He did not want de Castro, or Eric for that matter, interfering when the contract was up. He hoped Sookie would sign a longer one next time.

"Is she _yours_, then?" Eric asked, somewhat hesitantly, unsure if he wanted to know the answer.

Stan laughed. "No, that spitfire is still very much yours, or her own, or whatever she is. But she's not _mine_. I did request that she let Isabel and myself take a sip so I would be able to track her in case of danger. She told me I'd have to take that up with you, although I doubt she would allow it even if you acquiesced. And I knew that you would not, so I let the topic drop there." Stan paused for a moment, and then thoughtfully added, "Or was I incorrect in my assumption?"

"You were not incorrect," Eric returned. As much as he worried for Sookie's safety that was a line he was not willing to let Stan cross.

Following his conversation with Stan, Eric relayed the pertinent information to Felipe, who was undoubtedly unhappy about this turn of events. However, since Felipe had offered Sookie his personal protection in return for her saving his life, he felt it would set a bad precedence and look bad for his image were he to act on his anger. What Eric really thought was that de Castro had spread himself too thin to deal with the telepath and take on another regent, particularly that of the large state of Texas.

"If you want her back, Eric," Felipe declared, "and it would be much appreciated if you could bring such an event to light, it will be personal on your part. You will have no aid from my kingdom."

* ^ O ^ *

Sookie enjoyed spending the winter travelling the warm, sunny South. She was far enough away from Eric to not feel his emotions, but close enough to feel his life buzzing in the back of her head. (_Or was it her heart?_ she often wondered.) While reassuring to know he was still undead, the constant buzzing made her long for Eric, and for home.

In the spring, Sookie was on the West Coast for the first time in her life. In addition to reading humans for California's Regent and Sheriff's, Sookie also attended some interesting parties. She was usually the only human at these events that was not a pet of some sort. Stan did not want any vampire to mistake Sookie for a snack among the other pets, so her security was tighter than usual. Plus, being in de Castro's backyard had Sookie and her guards on edge.

In light of this, Sookie decided just to keep to herself as much as possible.

She found herself surrounded by vampires in interesting conversations with each other, but she had nothing to contribute. She spent a lot of time nodding and "hmmm"-ing her agreement to whatever the topic of conversation was. Mostly she went off inside her own head, involuntarily wondering if Eric had ever been where she was in that moment. Despite being surrounded by the quiet minds and mostly pleasant conversations of various vampires, Sookie felt very alone.

Later in the night she was standing at the window of her hotel room looking out on the Pacific Ocean and the Santa Monica Pier. Eric approached her from behind, grazing his fingers up her arms coming to rest on her shoulders, giving them a little squeeze. He brushed her hair off to one side, baring her neck to him as he fluttered kisses along the sensitive skin, stopping when his lips reached that knee-buckling spot behind her ear.

"Beautiful," he whispered, his breath making her shiver as it swept over the wet spots his kisses left behind.

"Yes," Sookie replied softly, "it's a beautiful view."

"Yes, that too, lover," Eric responded as he nuzzled his nose into the crook of her neck, taking in her scent.

"What are you doing here?" she asked quietly, not really caring what the answer was.

He shushed her as his hands trailed back down her arms and across her belly, meeting under her navel to delve lower, dipping under the waistband of the tiny lace boy shorts she was wearing. Her nipples pebbled under her tank top from the thrill of where his fingers began to explore. She leaned back against his naked chest and tilted her head to further bare her neck.

Eric growled in ownership and Sookie moaned in pleasure as his fangs penetrated her jugular. Eric's fingers picked up the pace and Sookie gyrated her hips in time with them, while pushing her ass back into his throbbing erection behind her.

"Eric," she panted, "almost there. Ungh."

"Come for me, my Sookie," he rasped in a deep throaty voice in her ear.

And just as she was about to explode, she woke up in a sweat with her own hand down the front of her pajama shorts and an empty feeling burning a whole in her heart.

* ^ O ^ *

Sookie's abilities were not only making Stan a pretty penny, and Sookie herself for that matter thanks to her contract, but as news spread about her and Barry, her services became in wider demand, spanning the globe. Summer found her in Europe: Paris, Rome, the beaches of the Mediterranean.

She was much stronger than Barry in terms of their telepathy, and Stan liked showboating the newest addition to his retinue, so Sookie did most of the travelling while Barry remained on-call for Stan in Texas. She loved being overseas because she couldn't feel Eric at all from that distance. But she hated being that far away for the same reason.

In August, Isabel accompanied Sookie through some of the Scandinavian countries. Just before dawn each morning Isabel thanked the heavens they weren't further north into the land of the midnight sun so she could escape listening to Sookie crying when the sun finally rose.

Everywhere, at every moment, in Sweden, Norway and Denmark, Sookie could not help but think of Eric. She really didn't know much about his human history, so everything she encountered or experienced had her wondering if Eric had, too, at some point in the last millennia.

When she woke one evening in September, sweaty and worked up from yet another dream of him, Sookie realized she needed to go back. She needed to talk to Eric, to see if he might still want her. She realized that she was still dreaming and thinking of him despite their distance, even without feeling him through the bond.

It was time to go home.

* ^ O ^ *

Nearly a year had passed since the Nevada takeover and de Castro had "requested" that Eric look at expanding the Fangtasia brand. So Eric and Pam found themselves scouting out prospective new bars. Strip clubs, to be exact. It was a pastime, er business venture, they were both enjoying immensely. They just so _happened _upon Hooligans one night where they _ran into_ Claudine.

"And how is your _dear cousin_?" Pam asked snarkily, emphasizing the last two words to note that she was none too happy with her telepathic _former _friend. She excelled at holding a grudge.

Pam actually missed the little breather. She hated having feelings, which made her angry at Sookie. And even more than that, she despised what Sookie's disappearance had done to her maker. She thought she had made herself clear that night in the Merlotte's parking lot when she had asked Sookie to have mercy on Eric. But if Pam thought Eric was entangled in his own emotions when she spoke to Sookie _that _night, she obviously had another thing coming, since that was nothing compared to how he had been since her departure from their lives nearly a year ago.

Claudine revealed that Sookie was, for all intents and purposes, generally happy.

"But the light from her eyes was missing," Claudine added hesitantly. "Then again, her eyes have really been quite dull since after the Witch War, no?" she finished pointedly, glaring at Eric.

Eric didn't really know what to do with this news. Pam would have quoted Dear Abby along the lines of "go get your woman," or some human nonsense, had she not been miffed with Sookie herself. But Eric maintained, pragmatically so if he did say so himself, that he was done chasing her; she left of her own free will and she would have to come to him this time.

* ^ O ^ *

It took a little more than a year after the takeover for Felipe de Castro to have most of the affairs in order in his newly acquired states of Louisiana and Arkansas. De Castro had his long-awaited coronation planned for New Orleans on the Winter Solstice, it being the longest day of the year. And, as a gift to his Sheriffs, he planned to have a telepath available the week leading up to the coronation to read all of their essential humans.

Of course, Stan tried his hardest to get Felipe to hire Barry instead, but his bragging of Sookie's superior talents had returned to "bite him in the ass," as Sookie would say. Plus, Felipe was playing the "let's be friendly neighbors" card, on top of some not so subtle reminders that Sookie was still under his formal protection and would be nothing less than safe in New Orleans.

After a year's worth of dreams and the all-important realization that they were not the result of the bond, since she had even pined for Eric thousands of miles away in Europe, Sookie was excited at the prospect of seeing him again. Although she had a wonderful time catching up with Amelia on a few late afternoon outings, she was most looking forward to his arrival.

Sookie was disappointed with each passing night that ended without even a glimpse of Eric.

Every sunset Sookie got her hopes up at seeing him, and every sunrise left her feeling more and more deflated. She didn't recognize the other Sheriffs, since all the ones she had known had been disposed of, and she began to wonder if Eric would rather forgo having his employees read than be forced to see her again. But she knew he was too pragmatic for that, and that he would have no excuse for missing Felipe's coronation.

Two nights before the ceremony, Sookie recognized a vampire from Area 5. And when she once again went to bed at dawn without having seen Eric she finally resigned herself to the fact that he hated her so much now that he wasn't even coming to his own King's coronation, which she knew was way more than a faux pas since Eric was the last remaining Sheriff from Sophie-Anne's regime. Sookie cried herself to sleep that morning.

Upon waking just before sunset the evening before the coronation, Sookie pushed all of her feelings away into a corner of her heart and tried to forget about Eric so she could finish her job and maybe even get back to Texas without having to attend the event itself. She felt much better, having locked away all of the disappointment she felt, and thought maybe all she had needed all along was a good cry. In fact, she felt almost giddy for the first time in months.

Sookie bumped into Rasul as she exited her room, and they chatted as they walked together through the palace. They were just strolling up to Sophie-Anne's old day room and laughing over the stupidity of an Area 4 vampire she read the night before that had been swindled by his human accountant, when Sookie stopped short at the sight of Eric and Pam.

Eric couldn't believe his ears; _his_ Sookie was laughing about a situation where a human had actually been executed for his crimes against a vampire.

_My, how a year has changed her_, he thought. He did not judge the change as good or bad; it just was.

That aside, she was as beautiful as ever; even more so, if that was possible. Her new-found self-confidence made her glow, almost as if the trademark fairy-bred arrogance had been diluted enough to result in the perfect amount of Sookie Stackhouse self-assuredness.

His eyes raked over her body.

It finally dawned on Sookie why she felt better upon rising this night; she felt Eric for the first time in months. She stopped mid-sentence in her conversation with Rasul and looked across the room, meeting his eyes with her own.

His façade gave away nothing as he stared at her coolly, but she felt all of the underlying emotions that bore no resemblance to his detached demeanor.

Most evident were anger and lust, coming off of him in waves. But throbbing underneath were hurt and longing, the latter nearly impossible to distinguish from her own.

Sookie quickly bid goodbye to Rasul and was approaching Eric and Pam when Pam's evil eye stopped Sookie in her tracks, afraid to continue on her path.

Sookie smiled at them both from the short distance and nodded. "Eric, Pam."

The Viking and his child just stared blankly at the telepath before Pam finally said to Eric, both of their eyes still trained on Sookie, "Can you imagine, some humans believe in the silly notion of 'forgive and forget?' I mean, a vampire never forgets, being eternal and all. But then, neither you nor I would ever leave each other without even saying goodbye first."

Neither vampire even blinked while Pam relayed this to Eric, perfectly loud enough to reach Sookie's mostly human ears.

Just as he saw it reflected in her clear blue eyes, Eric felt, through the bond, Sookie's love, lust and, above all, hope denigrate into hurt and shame.

Sookie finished her greeting by changing it into a goodbye of sorts. "Well, it was nice to see you," she choked out before the tears could start falling. She quickly turned on her heel and walked away from them towards her makeshift "office" with the intention to get back to work, putting these recent events out of her mind until she was alone. Then she could let her tears fall freely.

Unfortunately, Sookie hadn't taken into account that she would be reading Eric's employees, and it was taking much more out of her than her work for the other Sheriff's earlier in the week. For one thing, Eric was in the room, which was distracting for Sookie in and of itself. For another thing, Eric was in the room, and most of his employees tended to think about him whenever he was present, either in the remembering kind of way or the fantasizing sort.

Sookie had never been so grateful to get through a final screening. Of course, that also left her alone with Eric to report her findings.

"Your accountant remains loyal to you out of fear. Bobby is still loyal in the hope that you'll turn him one day. Your waitresses remain loyal out of lust, either hopeful or in remembrance. Do you want to hear about them individually?" Sookie asked brusquely. It was a failed attempt to sound professional that came across as terse. The tension rolling back and forth between them had Sookie on edge, and she was not sure how much longer she could hold it together.

Eric waved his hand in the air to indicate his disinterest. "No, I want to know why you left Louisiana." He paused, and added, "Why you left me, without ever giving us the chance to talk about my memories."

Sookie took a deep breath and relaxed as she let her gaze drift from his eyes to her hands in her lap. She had been expecting this question, even hoped for it so that it could get the discussion started. She wanted to come home and give things with Eric a try, if he would still have her, and she knew she had to talk things out with him first.

Eric's gaze softened from determined to curious as he felt Sookie relax. He was impressed that she had not become more agitated at his request.

"I'd like to talk to you about that," she said softly, raising her eyes back to his face, "but not here."

Eric quirked his eyebrow at Sookie in a silent question.

"We haven't seen each other in a long time and some privacy might be nice. Are you staying in the palace?" Sookie asked, knowing full well that the palace was full and his late-in-the-week arrival meant he was most likely at a nearby vampire-friendly hotel.

"No," Eric replied, "at a hotel just off the French Quarter."

"Perfect," Sookie responded as she stood up from her seat at the desk. "I have to report to de Castro and check in with Stan, who was due to arrive this evening, and then I am free. What time is good for you? I can meet you at your hotel."

Eric smirked in appreciation at this new take-charge version of Sookie, carefully traversing the field of vampire politics and avoiding what was sure to be a plethora of video cameras in the palace.

"It's not even midnight yet, so two o'clock should be fine. I'm at The Roosevelt New Orleans." Eric stood from the couch he had occupied during the interviews.

Sookie walked over to him and reached up on her toes, grazing his cheek lightly with her lips as she all but whispered, "Great, I look forward to it," before leaving him alone in her little office.

He almost shivered as he watched her go.

* ^ O ^ *

Sookie arrived at Eric's door at two on the dot. She bit on her lower lip, worrying if she had gone overboard by wearing the white and red floral dress, before finally lifting her hand to knock on the door to his suite.

Eric opened the door and nearly gasped at the site of her in that dress. Sookie could feel the tidal wave of battling emotions and was happy to realize not only had she not gone overboard, but she had done something exactly right for once. She reveled in heat of his lust and warmth of his adoration before he finally invited her in.

They sat at opposite corners of the couch in the living area of his suite, partially facing both each other and the center of the room. Eric stretched one arm along the back of the sofa, the other across the arm, looking cool and relaxed. But Sookie knew he felt as anxious as she felt and looked, sitting prim and proper, straight-backed on the edge of the cushion.

"I," they both began at the same time.

They both laughed and relaxed a bit. Eric sat forward and put his elbows on his knees, his fingers pressed together to form a steeple.

"Would you care to go first?" he asked.

"Yes," she answered as she reached into her purse that she had dropped by her feet when she sat down.

"I have something for you, actually," she began as she handed him a black box that was about the same size but leaner than a paperback book. It was wrapped with a red satin ribbon.

"I know this won't make up for what I did, or really truly explain it, but I am sorry I left home so abruptly and left you only a note. I can only say that I was scared and doing what I thought was the right thing at the time. I hope this," she gestured at the box, "may help explain how I felt about you though, just the same."

Sookie paused, watching his fingers untie the ribbon.

"I really did miss you this past year," she said, looking up into his eyes to show him that she meant it. "And not just the Eric that I missed _before_ I left."

Eric looked at her questioningly.

"I missed out friendship. I missed _you_. The you with all your damn politics and responsibilities and memories that didn't include that one important week. I missed my friend. My really annoying, wildly sexually inappropriate but always made me laugh, friend.

Eric arched an eyebrow at her words and smirked at her with a soft chuckle before lifting the top off the box. He pulled out a set of pictures, topped with a picture of the Santa Monica Pier. He shuffled through and realized they were postcards.

Sookie felt Eric's confusion through the bond. "Flip them over," she explained.

Sookie continued as Eric flipped over each city's postcard, "I thought of you everywhere I went. But I could never quite put it into the right words. I tried, though, in each city. It almost felt like I was talking to you…"

The Book Depository in Dallas: How are things at Fangtasia? I miss hearing Pam's snarky comments when I called the bar. I like Dallas a lot better without the FOTS chasing me, LOL! _But I miss having your shirt, er, shoulder to cry on._ (_She had crossed out the latter part of the message.)_

Disney World in Orlando: Have you ever been to Florida? Is this where you got some ideas for Fangtasia? Haha. I'll see the ocean for the first time in a few days!

South Beach in Miami: I went on a boat for the first time! I got a bit seasick and wondered how you lived on rough seas for months at a time…

The Roman Colosseum: I think being in an old European city makes me miss you more. _(Scratched out: Or maybe it's because I don't feel you from here.)_

The Ponte Vecchio in Florence: There's such beautiful art at the Uffizi! I was glad most people here were thinking in other languages or I might have blushed more than I already was as I looked at all those nude paintings and statues. I giggled when I saw the statue of David; he's got nothing on you. Did you ever meet Michaelangelo? I think I would have fit in alright during his time, what with all the curvy women. Haha. You must have had a ball during that era.

Piazza San Marco in Venice: I took a gondola ride at sunset yesterday. Could things ever calm down enough that one day you and I could have the time and freedom for a moonlit ride through the canals? _(Scratched out: I think)_ I know I'd enjoy this more if you were here with me.

Eric flipped through several more and stopped when he got to a postcard from the Nordic Museum in Stockholm.

Stockholm: This is our third city in the Scandinavian countries. I wish so much that _(scratched out: I knew)_ I had asked you more about your human life. Everywhere I go here I try to picture you a thousand years ago. I feel the hole in my heart widening the longer I'm away from you and Louisiana. Would you forgive me if I came home, or is it too late?

Eric looked up from the postcard to see Sookie wringing her hands in her lap, biting her lower lip in worry.

He placed the cards in the box and put it on the coffee table before scooting closer to her on the couch.

Taking her face in his hands he used his thumb to tug her lip free from her teeth.

"When my memories returned, that night at your house, I felt ashamed for how I had behaved after that week when I didn't know anything but you. Quite frankly, I was shocked you not only still spoke to me but found it in your heart to still care for me, even when I no longer deserved it."

Sookie tilted her head, relaxing her cheek against his palm. She shivered at the memories of other touches, other caresses.

She took his hand in her own and brought it to her lap to meet her other hand, grasping his one hand between both of hers. Looking into his eyes, Sookie asked, "I don't suppose we can call it even and start from scratch, can we?"

Eric leaned forward and kissed her forehead, then the tip of her nose, and finally brushed his lips against hers.

"I'd like that very much." He deepened the kiss.

"We do still have things to discuss, to figure out where we go from here," Sookie said, pulling away for a moment.

"Yes, but there's plenty of time before dawn," he pulled her into his embrace for another kiss, whispering against her lips, "after I show you just how much I remember."

Eric scooped her up and took her into his light-tight bedroom and showed her just that.

He woke the next evening to find a still sleeping Sookie in exactly the same position as she fallen asleep just before dawn. Both of them were on their sides, her back against his chest. He trailed a finger from her shoulder down her arm and side to her knee. She slowly opened her eyes.

"That tickles."

"Now, that was definitely _not_ my intention," he replied.

Sookie yawned, asking, "And what was your intention, sir?" knowing full well what the answer was.

Eric shifted and turned her on her back, attacking her body strategically with his lips, tongue, and scrapes of his fangs. Reaching her center he worked to her into a frenzy before finally biting her femoral artery and causing her first release of the night.

Before she could even recover, he had them turned around and sitting upright facing each other, her legs wrapped around his waist, his cock deep inside her.

They made love, and that was what they felt, that intense feeling bouncing back and forth between them through the bond, as they stared into the depths of each others' eyes.

When they were finally sated, they showered and began dressing for the evening's midnight coronation. Eric had instructed Bobby to collect Sookie's belongings at some point during the day.

"We really _do_ need to talk, Eric," Sookie said as she rolled a thigh-high stocking up one leg.

"You didn't seem to mind skipping our chat earlier this morning," Eric said waggling and eyebrow and leering at her.

Sookie blushed. "I feel your lusty stare," she said without looking up from her perch on the end of the bed.

Eric started pulling on a white button down tuxedo shirt.

"Ok, let's discuss," he stopped dressing and stood there in black silk boxer shorts and an unbuttoned shirt. "You can ask Stan to send Barry on the necessary travels and you will remain in Texas. We can see each other on nights you're not working until I can figure out a way to get you out of your contract and move us both elsewhere."

Sookie swallowed the irritation that bubbled up at Eric saying, "You can," rather than, "Can you?" and she took a deep breath.

"I have a better idea, actually," she said with a smile.

Sookie laid out her plan for Eric while they continued dressing. Finally they stood side by side, admiring one another in the mirror, Sookie in an ivory floor length satin gown and Eric in a classic black tux.

"You have been quite busy this week during the daylight hours, visiting the demon lawyer," Eric said, turning from the mirror to face Sookie.

"When I wasn't hanging out with Amelia, yes," she smiled at him in the mirror.

"So my contract with Stan is up in ten days. I'll go 'free agent' and let vampires, and weres, hire me on a case by case basis. Mr. C. has set up some basics for me already, but," she paused turning to look at him, "I would like your help."

Sookie straightened his bowtie and couldn't help but giggle at how domestic this all felt; minus the vampire politics, of course.

"_You_, Sookie Stackhouse, are asking for _my_ help? Why, it's almost as rare, _and wonderful_, as you yielding to me," he chuckled. "Do tell."

"I'd like you to help me manage my clients; help decide who to take on and who to decline, what's worth traveling for and when we think it's important to stay home. Maybe we could travel together?" she finished, the last bit said more tentatively. She knew Eric would jump at the chance to help her manager her new telepath for hire business, but wondered if he would be willing to leave his post to take trips with her.

Eric grabbed her by the shoulders and leaned down for a kiss.

"I would be honored, Miss Stackhouse, to accompany you wherever and whenever possible."

He smiled and she felt his pride in her swell. She beamed at him in return.

"Well, then, Sheriff Northman, it looks like I'm coming home."

-oOo- FIN –oOo-

_A/N: While I'm more of a KROQ kinda girl (that's L.A.'s alternative rock station), I have a soft spot for the Standards, and I just love Michael Bublé's voice._

**CONTEST ALERT!**

**I'm co-hosting a contest for newbie writers as well as canon writers taking their first turn at writing All-Human. It's called "A New Chapter" and my lovely cohorts are probably among your favorite authors (and if they're not, they should be!): Evenflo78, MissusT, seastarr08 and youbettago. Check it out here: http:/www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net/u/2507718/A_New_Chapter_Contest**


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